


Remember You

by bar2d2s



Category: The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 05:17:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3924307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bar2d2s/pseuds/bar2d2s
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Owen was wiped from everyone's memory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember You

When the report comes in that one of the dead returned to life is Captain Boomerang, Axel’s first instinct is to check the pit. It’s empty, of course, but more than that, it's  _clean_. No bodies, no blood, no personal possessions, no Digger, no Owen. As if nothing had happened at all.

It’s not until weeks later that Axel actually gets to meet Digger for the first time. He’s not impressed. Sure, the guy has skill, but he’s an asshole. Loud. Rude. He sneers at Axel, face scrunching up like he’s smelled something unpleasant just looking at him.

“So, yeh’ve kept it around, hey?” It.  _It._ Jackass.

It’s because of their distaste for each other that Axel rarely finds himself alone with the older man, but on those rare occasions where everyone else is dead drunk or otherwise occupied, he tries to talk about Owen.

“So, Owen-?”

“Who?” Digger interrupts, fiddling with one of the non-energy boomerangs he still carries. Axel scowls.

“Your son-”

“Don’t have a son.” He interrupts Axel again, as though he just doesn’t want to hear him speak, wants this conversation to be over as soon as possible. Axel’s head bumps the ceiling. In his shock, he’d floated upwards without realizing it. “Y'done with this talking thing? I’ve got shite to do.” Axel lets him go without another word.

This goes on for days. When his questions for Digger got nowhere, Axel tried bringing Owen up to Len. All he got was a confused stare and his customary, “Go bother someone else, Axel.” While trying to talk to Mark, the man actually laughed.

“Aren’t you a little too old for imaginary friends, shrimp?”

Evan and Mick just ignored him which was…par for the course, really.

It all came to a head one night after a minor heist they were pulling got foiled by the Flash. No one was caught, but the failure still caused tempers to flare. A card game and a few beers was still not enough to settle them and eventually, Digger shoved Axel over from his spot in the air.

“Stop floatin’ like that, fack! Sit on a goddamn chair like a normal person. James was a showoff, but yer just ridiculous.” The overstretched rubber band that was his patience snapped.

“Owen didn’t mind it when I floated.” He said quietly. Digger cocked a brow at him.

“Eh? Who’re you on about?” Axel raised his voice.

“Owen. Owen Mercer. Your son. The guy that was Captain Boomerang after you  _died_.” Digger visibly bristled. They weren’t supposed to mention the D word.

“I keep tellin’ you, yeh crazy little shit, I don't  _have_  a son! I’ve never _had_  a son! Let alone one old enough to take over from me.” Little shit, he was used to. It was practically a term of endearment from the other guys, but he wasn't  _crazy._  They traded insults for a while, to the point where it looked like it might get violent. Their fellows restrained the two then, because smacking Axel around once in a while was  _Len’s_ thing. And it wasn’t like he ever tried to  _really_  hurt him.

“Why you, though?” Axel finally yells, Mark the only thing holding him back. Digger’s materialized one of his boomerangs, threatening him with it. “You’re nothing! Less than nothing! So why did  _you_  come back?! Why not him?”

“Because there  _isn’t_  any him!” Digger roars back, straining against Len. “Yer delusional! Touched in the head! You keep going on and on about someone who doesn’t exist! Never existed!” Len should have just let Digger punch him, it would have hurt less. He wilted in Mark’s grip.

“Shut the fuck up.” He muttered. “You probably ate him. Fatass. Lemme go, Mark. I just, I gotta…lemme go.” The taller man released him, and Axel ran up and away. As he reached up to push open the skylight, he wiped his face on his sleeve. His tears burned, like weakness exiting his body.

He was crazy.

He wasn’t crazy.

Owen was real. He’d existed. He’d been a  _Rogue_.

But only Axel could remember.


End file.
